449 more vaccinations, 8 new coronavirus cases reported in Beaufort Co. Thursday
State health officials on Thursday reported that 449 more Beaufort County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
About 45% of residents who are 15 or older have now received a shot, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, and 54.9% of residents have yet to get a dose.
The seven-day average of new inoculations reported per day in Beaufort County has dipped this past week, following a surge of demand in late March.
Coronavirus spread, meanwhile, remains low after a winter spike, though health experts are concerned that the United States could face a fourth wave of infections.
Eight new coronavirus cases and three probable infections were reported in Beaufort County on Thursday. No new deaths were announced.
Jasper County recorded one infection, two probable cases and no deaths Thursday.
Local numbers
COVID-19 inoculation rate for Beaufort County residents as of Tuesday (the most recent date for which data are available): 4,506 vaccine recipients per 10,000 residents. That’s the fifth-highest rate in South Carolina.
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 70,446
Total number of doses administered: 95,391
New first-dose vaccinations announced Thursday: 449
Percentage of the county’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 45%
Statewide numbers
New first-dose vaccinations announced Thursday: 14,491
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 1,562,895
Percentage of the state’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 38%
Percentage of S.C. residents who have completed vaccination: 24.2%
ZIP code data
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 leads the county with 16,076 vaccinations since late last year. Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has recorded 12,295 resident inoculations, which is the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head Island’s 29926 ZIP code, covering the north side, has 11,976 vaccinations. The 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 9,534 vaccinations, according to DHEC.
Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code has reported 4,956 inoculations.
DHEC releases most of its coronavirus vaccine data based on residency. If a Beaufort County resident is vaccinated out of state or in a different S.C. county, they would still be counted in DHEC’s Beaufort County-specific ZIP code data.
More information on ZIP code-level vaccine data can be found at the following link online: http://bit.ly/BeaufortCountyVaccines
Virus spread in Beaufort County
Seven-day average of new cases: roughly nine per day
Total cases: 14,712 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 190 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Tuesday: 69.7 cases per 100,000 people, a “moderate” rate under DHEC’s definition. An incidence rate measures how quickly a disease is spreading through a given population.
Dr. Scott Curry, an infectious disease specialist at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, has previously said counties should aim to have a two-week incidence rate of less than 50 new cases per 100,000 people.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow we covered this story
Facts about COVID-19 vaccine distribution in South Carolina are changing rapidly. The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette are trying to publish important information as quickly and accurately as possible. This story may be updated if more information becomes available or if facts become clearer.
